Mission Statement

The mission of the UNC McAllister Heart Institute is to provide a world class environment for basic, preclinical, and applied cardiovascular research. Discoveries made by our investigators may provide new diagnostic tools and therapies that can be used to advance the care of patients with diseases of the Heart, Blood, and Circulation.

Cardiovascular diseases are the most common cause of death and disability in the state of North Carolina and in the United States as a whole. The spectrum of cardiovascular diseases is enormous. At one extreme, there are strictly genetic diseases such as sickle cell anemia and coagulation disorders that often severely affect otherwise healthy young individuals. At the other extreme lie common afflictions such as hypertension and atherosclerosis that afflict over half of our population and that lead to heart attacks and strokes. Importantly, the genetic and environmental components that contribute to heart disease are still not well understood.

The UNC McAllister Heart Institute is home to many talented investigators who study various aspects of cardiovascular disease. The Institute provides a unique opportunity for basic scientists to interact with clinicians. These interactions often result in innovative research projects that provide benefits to patients now and in the future.

The goals of this multidisciplinary Institute are to:

Translate research discoveries into clinical practice

Improve the medical care of patients with cardiovascular disease

Become an internationally recognized center for research in cardiovascular diseases

Provide a home for interactions between basic science and clinical departments to facilitate cardiovascular research

Educate the university and local communities about advances and emerging issues in cardiovascular research

Service the cardiovascular research community at UNC with an efficient and organized administrative staff

Develop training programs and career development tracks to instruct the next generation of cardiovascular scientists